There might be a lot of debate about which team is tops in Class AAAA.

There should be little argument, though, about where that team comes from.

Four of the Post-Gazette's top five Class AAAA teams are from the PG East area, and they inhabit the top four spots -- No. 1 Gateway (4-0), No. 2 McKeesport (3-1), No. 3 Woodland Hills (3-1) and No. 4 Central Catholic (3-1).

Those teams combined have a 13-3 record and have outscored opponents 530-176.

No. 5 Shaler Area (4-0) moved into the top five after beating Mt. Lebanon last week.

The eastern trend is one that has held all season long. Nine WPIAL teams have been ranked in Class AAAA. Five are from the east, three from the south and one from the north.

The east also boasts the only two teams to have claimed the pole position -- Gateway and Central Catholic.

Outside of Quad-A, things aren't as bright in the east. Only one team -- Jeannette -- is ranked in any of the Post-Gazette's top five positions. The Jayhawks are No. 2 in Class AA and lead the WPIAL in scoring (191 points, 47.8 points per game).

The Serra Eagles entered the season as one of the most touted teams in Class A. How they finish, though, depends on how the Eagles respond to their first loss of the year.

The Eagles were outscored, 20-6, in the second half of last week's game against Black Hills Conference rival Fort Cherry, falling, 42-34.

Serra coach Rich Bowen thinks he can use the loss to keep his team motivated moving forward.

"We stubbed our toe a little bit, and we know that," Bowen said.

It is now more important than ever that the Eagles play spotless football, Bowen said, especially in these next four weeks leading to a season finale against Clairton.

"If we can take care on our end and take care of our business and win out, we can still play for the conference championship," Bowen said.

Fort Cherry coach Tim Garry said he expects the Eagles to return to their winning ways.

"They're a very talented team," Fort Cherry's coach said, adding Serra returned a lot of starters in key positions from last year.

The Eagles (3-1, 1-1) were the Post-Gazette's No. 2 team in Class A before the high-scoring loss. Fort Cherry's 42 points were more than Serra's three previous opponents scored combined.

Serra travels to Avella (1-3, 0-2) tomorrow in a conference contest.

McKeesport quarterback Ty-Meer Brown has completed fewer passes in his career than several area quarterbacks do in one night.

Still, he is in an enviable position.

Though he has only 11 career completions, Brown is 12-4 as a starter and leads the Post-Gazette's No. 2 team in Class AAAA.

Brown has more career losses than career interceptions (2).

The Tigers' run-heavy offense -- its top three rushers had more than 800 yards combined after three games -- has had little use for a passing game in Brown's two years.

Brown is 11-of-25 in his career for 293 yards. This season, he is 4-of-9 for 113 yards -- all four completions have been for touchdowns.

The Tigers (3-1, 2-0) play host to Foothills Conference foe Latrobe (2-2, 1-1) tomorrow night.

Again, Wilkinsburg has a chance to get its 500th all-time victory this week.

The Tigers, who have 499 all-time wins, travel to Brentwood tomorrow night. The Spartans, like the Tigers, are winless through four games this year.

Wilkinsburg, Brentwood and Leechburg are the only winless teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Tigers and Spartans are almost evenly matched. Both average 7.0 points scored per game, though Wilkinsburg's defense has surrendered more points (36.3 points per game for Wilkinsburg and 27.0 per game for Brentwood).

But recent history suggests the Tigers will have a hard time beating any team not named Leechburg.

Wilkinsburg is winless since beating the Blue Devils last year to earn win No. 499. Since then, the Tigers have been outscored 145-28.

The Tigers last win against a team other than Leechburg came at the beginning of the 2006 season against Frazier. Wilkinsburg wins Nos. 498 and 499 were against the Blue Devils.

Wilkinsburg and Leechburg will play on Halloween at Wilkinsburg.

The Burrell Buccaneers were up a touchdown late in the third quarter, about 15 minutes from going 4-0.

But 10 unanswered Freeport points gave the Buccaneers their first loss of the year.

Now, Burrell can't control its destiny in the Allegheny Conference. Ford City and Shady Side Academy are both 4-0, so Burrell would need some help if it wants the conference crown.

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.